Smells like strawberries
by sophiesaurus1
Summary: If you want casual conversations, don't talk to Stacie. Staubrey as the main plot but also with Bechloe
1. Chapter 1

Aubrey sighed as she diligently scrubbed the black board; removing any remainder of yesterday's schedule. The dust clouded the air and coated her outfit with a fine layer of white powder causing the blonde to groan with disdain.  
Preoccupied with the task of removing the chalk, Aubrey was oblivious to the figure that entered the room and quietly approached her from behind. She felt manicured nails lightly snake across her back, making her muscles seize as she gasped.  
"Fuck." She whispered as a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her waist.  
"It's a little early for that, don't you think?" Said a voice laced with rich seduction, hot and breathy on the blonde's neck.  
"Stace?" Aubrey questioned with a pleasurable shudder. "What're you doing here?"  
"I was gonna wait until later to show up, but seems I couldn't stay away." The brunette replied smoothly as she planted a kiss on Aubrey's jawline.  
The blonde gritted her teeth as she restrained herself from letting out a whimper. There was something about Stacie that made her melt a little from usual regimented self, albeit unwillingly at that.  
She wriggled her hips, making Stacie lose her grip and as she turned around she cocked her head to the side. Feigned with authority, Aubrey reprimanded "Early arrival will not get you in my good books. Besides, everyone else will be here soon so no playing around."

Though despondent from Aubrey's lack of eagerness, Stacie remained confident. She casually twirled one of other female's blonde locks around her finger, her face inscrutable.  
The brunette sighed contently "Your hair is really nice y'know"  
Aubrey raised an eyebrow, unconvinced by the casual compliment "Thanks?" She replied, puzzled.  
Stacie smirked a little "What shampoo do you use? It smells awesome, like strawberries; which are like totally my favourite fruit."  
Completely fazed by this whole conversation, Aubrey sounded a little taut with her response "Really? That's interesting…" She turned back around to begin writing the schedule for the day.

Stacie stood behind Aubrey for a moment, put off after being shot down by the blonde. She breathed out, defeated. "Okay, so maybe I'm not good at casual conversation…" She admitted as she shuffled awkwardly in place.  
"I can tell. Do you even ever have non-sexual conversations? "Aubrey deadpanned in reply.  
"Uh yeah, of course…"  
"When? Because it's certainly not in rehearsals." Aubrey's voiced dripped with sarcasm.  
"After sex, duh! If there's one thing you don't do after sex, its talk about it. I'm not gonna give them a grade or whatever. Like 'hey, good job with the thrusting just make sure to not to whimper like a little bitch next time'. That's just weird." Stacie said, acting as if it was the most natural thing in the world.  
Aubrey's jaw dropped a little, she turned her head so she could just make out the brunette out of the corner of her eye. "You really have no personal boundaries do you? It's a little sickening"  
Stacie shrugged with a roughish smile "I disgust myself sometimes. Though, there are worse things I could do."  
The blonde's expression contorted; she was intrigued in the younger Bella's idea of 'worse'. "Like what?" She asked cautiously.  
Stacie looked at her nails, skimming her thumb across their surface before airily replying "I don't know, maybe thinking about the fact that I would quite happily take you on that piano over there."  
Aubrey's face flushed a deep shade of red, she let out a nervous giggle "Sorry, what?" She half yelled bemused at the Brunette's calm composure.  
"Oh for fuck sake Aubrey, you take forever to catch on!" Stacie rolled her eyes as she gripped Aubrey's shirt then pushed her over to the piano. She pinned the blonde's arms to the side before grazing their lips together momentarily. As they broke apart, Stacie noticed the realisation in Aubrey's eyes; expecting it to be disgust. Though it could be debated as a second later, their lips met again, the full strength Aubrey's slightly smaller frame concentrated into the release of her withheld tension. The blonde's tongue glided across Stacie's bottom lip; the brunette gasped before allowing her access to her mouth where their tongues met and intertwined gracefully.  
Their hips rocked together as they got lost in the moment, only returning as air became a necessity. As they broke apart, their eyes locked; fixated in a euphoric gaze. Breathless, Aubrey whispered "Okay, I think I've caught on now." She grinned at Stacie, who shot back a triumphant expression.  
"Just wait until after rehearsals." The brunette replied with a wink.

They began to lean in again, but the sound of someone clearing their throat shattered their newfound intimacy. Aubrey's head snapped towards to the door; Chloe was leant against the frame, arms crossed and looking surprisingly unfazed. "I would say sorry I overslept, but it seems you found something to occupy yourself with." She deadpanned.  
Instantaneously, the two girls broke apart. Stacie attempted to humour the situation "Well y'know what I said, he's a hunter! Can't say I haven't got good choice though!" She glanced at Aubrey, who just lowered her gaze to the ground.  
"Aca-awkward." The brunette added, though she realised she wasn't helping. She quickly excused herself from the situation, leaving Aubrey to explain to her intrigued best friend.

"So, 'Bree…had fun?" Chloe asked, slowly approaching the blonde with a distinct smirk on her face.  
"Shut it Chloe, nothing happened." Aubrey snapped defensively.  
"Okay then, how about you tell everyone why Stacie isn't here? " Chloe jeered.  
"No."  
"Why not?"  
"Because rehearsals are cancelled today." Aubrey stated matter of factly.  
"But I thought Stacie wanted you to wait until after rehearsals, hm?"  
"Well, if there are no rehearsals, I suppose it's after rehearsals now, right?" The blonde smiled mischievously.  
"Wait what?" Chloe looked flustered as Aubrey grabbed her bag and hurried out of the auditorium.

Only 5 minutes later did it dawn on Chloe what Aubrey meant.


	2. Chapter 2

Aubrey walked briskly across campus towards the dormitories, a sly confident smile on her face. The weather was holding out meaning everyone was outside; this gave the type of cover she needed to travel unnoticed by people she knew. The last thing she needed was to be interrogated as to why she was visiting a dorm room considering her work ethic towards the acapella group. The thoughts caused Aubrey to move cautiously; the blonde even comically dived behind a corner as she watched Beca emerge from a doorway.

She reached the building, checked briefly for any of the Bellas' who may have been 'running late' for the rehearsal that wasn't going to happen before she slipped inside and headed towards the hall where Stacie's room resided.  
She stood outside, hesitantly resting her fist on the door before she knocked three times in rapid succession. Aubrey's chest felt tight as she waited in anticipation for the sound of the lock.  
It took a moment but the door opened with a loud creak of its hinges. What Aubrey saw she was _not_ expecting.  
Stood entirely nude apart from some skimpy lace lingerie which covered her delicate areas, was Stacie. She beamed confidence, sex appeal and allure.  
"Looks like someone's decided to skip practise." She growled as she pulled Aubrey into the depths of her room.  
"Actually, I cancelled it entirely." Aubrey replied, a little breathless as she got dragged across the room, eventually getting pressed into the wall, pinned by Stacie's surprisingly toned arms.

The brunette kissed Aubrey's jawline, moving upwards towards her ear where she gently grazed the lobe with her teeth. In a husky voice she whispered "Even better." Her hot breath flushed against Aubrey's neck, making an audible moan escape the blonde's mouth.  
"You're such a tease and still awful at conversation." Aubrey said; her voice feigned criticality.  
"I can make up for that." Stacie shot back as her lips made her way to Aubrey's, locking passionately in place. Her hands travelled down the delicate curves of the older woman's body. She stopped at the end of Aubrey's shirt, gripping the material tightly as she edged it upwards. A quick break of their lips later and the clothing had been removed and thrown carelessly across the room.  
"Oh my god." Aubrey moaned, breathless. She clamped her hands firmly on Stacie's waist as she grinded against the brunette. "Fuck" She whispered as her hands traced down Stacie's taut stomach towards the waistband of her underwear.  
"Not yet" The other girl growled as she slapped Aubrey's hand away. Instead, she undid the button on the jeans the blonde was wearing; gracefully Aubrey stepped out of them, using the small movement as an opportunity to push Stacie away towards the bed.

Not one to be dominated in the bedroom, Stacie pulled Aubrey with her, flipping their positions so Aubrey's knees contacted the frame, causing her to buckle and land on the mattress.  
"Bitch." Said the blonde, her voice gravelled and frustrated.  
Stacie half laughed, half grunted "You don't know the meaning." She replied as she straddled the older Bella. She pressed her lips firmly against Aubrey's, her tongue expertly contorted around the blonde's as they fought for control. Stacie withdrew from the kiss early, which caused her partner to groan in discontent. She bit Aubrey's bottom lip hard as she slid down her body. She paused momentarily at Aubrey's breasts that were measly covered by her bra. She used her lightest touch, bringing her hands around the other woman's back and unhooking the clasp effortlessly before she removed the article; it joined her other clothing that was strewn across the floor.  
Finally exposed, Stacie clamped her mouth on one of the perk nipples. She rolled it between her teeth which caused a deep guttural moan to escape Aubrey's lips as the sensation rippled through her body. The younger woman loosened her grip before she continued to leave a trail of kisses and bite marks down the rest of the exposed skin.  
Stacie wasted no time in reaching Aubrey's legs where she parted them and kissed her inner thighs, gently sucking to mess with the blonde further.  
"St-stace, you f-fucking tease!" Aubrey squealed, her hands tightly gripped the sheets in anticipation.  
The brunette smiled to herself as she finally reached the other girls cunt. She felt the damp material of Aubrey's panties and smirked.  
"You're so wet 'Bree." She mewled as she ripped the lingerie off with an aggressive tug of her teeth.

"Fuck me" Aubrey's voice pleaded as she impatiently waited for Stacie's touch. The brunette simply traced the outline of the blonde's folds with her tongue mercilessly.  
"Please." Aubrey begged, her breath ragged.  
Content with the power she had over the older woman, Stacie plunged two fingers deep inside Aubrey's slit. Unprepared, the blonde's head shot back as she was met with indescribable pleasure and her hips jerked violently to the unfamiliar feeling of digits thrusting in and out of her at increasing pace.  
They worked to a pacing rhythm that only got faster, harder and more intense. Stacie's skilled fingers twisted and curled, only to her partner's pleasure which was evident in the throaty grunts and moans that Aubrey released into the room.

Feeling the oncoming orgasm, the brunette used her mouth to lightly graze and stimulate Aubrey's pulsating clitoris. The added sensation caused the others teeth to become gritted as the wave of euphoria slowly bubbled through her.  
"St-stace, I think I'm gonna-"The walls of the older woman's cunt tightened around Stacie's hand, shuddering as an intense rush of endorphins flushed through the blonde's body. Quivering hands snaked through the brunette's hair and grabbed tightly at the roots, which essentially pulled Stacie on top of Aubrey as she rode out her orgasm.  
Their hips rocked together erratically as the rising and falling of their heaving chests eventually slowed to a normal rate. The wide eyes expression on Aubrey's face slowly turned to grin as she stared longingly into the eyes of her lover.  
"Wow" she uttered her voice almost undistinguishable under her breathing.

Stacie softly kissed Aubrey and rolled to the side to lie next to her. Her face displayed a triumphant expression, though she felt a certain pang of fondness usually not there. Compelled by her emotions, she wrapped her arms around her companion and cuddled close.  
Before she could comprehend her thoughts, she spoke aloud to Aubrey. "I am so glad you came over. . All the times I've had sex in the past I thought I was finding love though really, I wasn't…but I just found love and it was with you...So thanks."  
Aubrey smiled at Stacie's touching words. She swallowed the lump in her throat "Oh Stace that's so sweet. Perhaps you're not the sex freak everyone thinks you are…I-er…I suppose the feeling's mutual."  
The brunette's face dropped a little at the response but she shrugged it off "Close enough."  
Aubrey giggled "Hey, at least you're having a casual conversation, which counts for something!"  
"Don't get your hopes up. I'll be making innuendos soon enough. I'm sure of it. Sure enough as the fact that your hair still smells like strawberries even though you're glistening with sweat and sex scent. Seriously, it's turning me on"  
"You're so weird" Aubrey remarked, planting her lips on Stacie's for a final time before they had to leave the bubble of intimacy to continue with their day.

"We should do this again." Stacie said, as she opened the door to let Aubrey out.  
"Definitely, but you're taking me on a date first." The blonde replied with a wink "I don't come easily" Her hand slapped comically over her mouth and she blushed deeply.  
"I mea- I, erm…" Aubrey stammered. "Is being inappropriate contagious or something?"  
Stacie laughed, patting Aubrey sympathetically on the shoulder "Nope, but it might as well be! How about tomorrow at 8?"  
Aubrey nodded as she took a mental note "Deal." She pecked Stacie on the cheek and left.

After Aubrey was gone, the brunette was a little more than excited to begin planning her outfit.  
If she was going on a date, she had to make it worthwhile.


	3. Chapter 3

Aubrey sat on her couch, waiting for Stacie to pick her up for their date. _Date_. The word felt foreign in her mouth and whenever she mentioned it to Chloe, it felt almost sinful to say.  
"Relax 'Bree. It's probably just your father's voice up in your head." The redhead assured as she grabbed her purse from the side.  
"I know…what if he's not happy about it?" Aubrey questioned, letting the all the scenarios play out in her head; few ended well.  
"He'll have to put up with this, won't he?" Chloe put on her jacket and went to the door. "Okay, well I'm going to Beca's. Don't wait up for me because I'll probably be staying over." She said with a wink.  
"That's disgusting Chloe." Aubrey remarked as she screwed up her nose.  
"You love it." Chloe shot back with a giggle before she abruptly left.

Aubrey stood and checked herself in the mirror. Her blonde hair was slightly tousled; she was wearing skin tight jeans, black heeled boots, a rather revealing shirt and a light jacket. She looked good, or Chloe said she looked good and her best friend wasn't one to lie. She couldn't help but feel slightly under dressed when she imagined what ridiculously provocative outfit Stacie would be wearing and how it might look crumpled on the bedroom floor. Normally, Aubrey might've chastised herself for such thoughts but instead she just stood and smirked to herself; secretly she hoped the night would end that way.

* * *

Dead on 8'oclock, the door knocked. Aubrey opened it and sure enough, Stacie was wearing a short dress and heels; she looked stunning and it took a moment of gawping before the blonde finally talked.  
"Hey Stacie. You look um, just, wow!" She gushed as she nervously fiddled with her hair. Stacie smiled at the older Bella, seeming somewhat proud of the reaction she received.  
"Thanks 'Bree, you look pretty hot too." She replied coolly as she took Aubrey's hand and began to lead down the hallway to the exit.  
Stacie seemed totally at ease, she radiated confidence where Aubrey lacked it and as left the building and approached Stacie's car it seemed obvious that the younger girl was running this evening.

The brunette drove them to an Italian restaurant not far from campus. Nothing fancy but suitable on a first date scenario. She opened Aubrey's door, taking the blonde's hand once more and walked into the establishment. As they approached, the host instantly recognised Stacie and clasped his hands together.  
"Ah my dear, table for two I assume? Who's this lucky lady, eh?"  
"This is Aubrey." She gestured towards the man "Aubrey, this is Theo. He worked his magic and managed to get us a reservation last minute."  
Aubrey nodded and shook the man's hand. "Ah but of course, your family has been nothing but well to me Stacie, it's the least I could do." The young host seemed a little too keen for Aubrey's liking; she kept her mouth shut and simply gripped Stacie's hand a little tighter to send the message across. He awkwardly rocked on his heels before he turned, grabbed a few menus and lead them to their table; a private corner with candles and scenic lighting. Theo helped the women into the chairs, handed the menus and began to leave. He paused "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." He left, his pride dragged slowly behind him.

"He seemed nice." Aubrey deadpanned as she skimmed through the options.  
"Jealous, Aubrey?" Stacie teased, pulling down the blonde's menu to send a mischievous grin.  
"No, but he was looking you up and down way too much for my liking." She replied, raising an eyebrow.  
"Yeah, he's a bit of a creep to be honest, but he did get us this table."  
"How do you even know him?"  
Stacie shuffled in her seat and looked away. "I might have…y'know…a few years ago."  
Aubrey's eyes widened a little "Oh…okay."  
"He's still got a major crush on me" The brunette chuckled to herself. "Joke's on him though."  
Aubrey cocked her head to the side "What do you mean?"  
"I mean, I like you." Stacie stated without a hesitant thought. She sighed "I'm not good at dating, okay? If I like someone then I like someone and I really like you Aubrey. So that's all I've gotta say."  
Aubrey stared intently at the brunette, her expression inscrutable, she nodded slowly as she came to terms with the statement the other girl had just made.  
"Right well, I guess there's no easier way than to be completely straight with one another."  
"Straight? Could've used a better term than that" Stacie interjected with a smirk. Aubrey glared at her before she continued. "…As I was saying. Stacie, I really do like you too. I think it's quite obvious from the erm, incident yesterday." The blonde blushed at the thought.  
Stacie half smiled "My body is better at saying the things my mouth can't." She paused for a moment. "Could I ask you a question?"  
Aubrey nodded.  
"Is this date really necessary? It's lovely and everything but I'm awful at this. Can't we go back to your place and just chill?" She asked with a brief hint of uncharacteristic innocence in her voice. The small whimper made Aubrey melt a little. Stacie was equally good at being adorable as she was at being sexy; something that tugged a little on the older girl's heart strings.  
"Yeah sure. First dates are always awful anyway!" She replied cheerfully as she rose from her seat. They left the menus on the table and walked out of the restaurant as quickly as they walked in. They got back into the car and returned to Aubrey and Chloe's apartment.

Upon entering the room, Stacie let out a relieved sigh as she removed the heels she was wearing. "Thank god, I couldn't have survived a whole evening in them." The brunette slumped on the couch and made herself at home whilst Aubrey removed her own shoes and went into the kitchen.  
"Hey, Stace, you want a drink?" Aubrey asked, peering around the corner to talk more directly with the younger girl.  
"Yeah sure, what're you having?"  
"Just some wine, Chloe hid the other alcohol" Aubrey rolled her eyes as she disappeared back into the kitchen. She walked back into the lounge area with two glasses and handed one to Stacie who took a gracious sip before setting it down on the table nearby.  
The blonde relaxed into the sofa, sitting with her legs tucked underneath her. She smiled "This is nice."  
Stacie shuffled towards Aubrey, closing the gap between them. "Definitely." The brunette gently moved Aubrey's wine glass away from her mouth and replaced it with her lips. The kiss was brief, though enough that it satisfied Stacie's taste for a moment as they drank more of their alcohol.

It soon became a game or some sort, drinking then kissing.  
Aubrey had soon found the stash of various beverages hidden by her roommate and thus the game continued well after the wine bottle had been finished. Their lips hunger growing as their sobriety fell.  
They drunkenly fondled each other's bodies, giggling incessantly at every touch.  
"Your hair still smells like strawberries." Stacie mumbled into Aubrey's ear as she kissed down the blonde's jawline.  
"I haven't changed the shampoo I use since yesterday, silly" She replied with a smirk, as her hands travelled down Stacie's body and gripped tightly on her ass  
"God Aubrey, you're so touchy when you're drunk!"  
"Says you! Besides I-I'm not that drunk!" Aubrey tripped over her slurred sentences, the stimulus from Stacie's lips not helping her in case.  
"Yes you are." The younger Bella's words teased menacingly.  
"No I'm not!"  
"Prove it." Stacie whispered huskily.  
Aubrey grasped her hands to the sides of the brunette's face and guided their faces together, violently forcing their mouths into a deep kiss. The blonde nipped the bottom of Stacie's lip, causing her mouth to open where she slid her tongue inside and traced along the other girls teeth before breaking as air became necessary. Though seconds later, Aubrey's hands tangled in the rich brown locks, bringing them back together and for a moment her brain shut down, as the pure ecstasy of their shape-shifting mouths swirling and puckering with each delicious smack of escaping air overcame her.  
Stacie moaned, pushing herself into Aubrey, aching for the intimacy. They got lost in one another, completely oblivious to the world around them.

That was until the front door unlocked. Chloe and Beca stumbled in; their bodies flushed together, their miniscule moans and whispers hinted towards the fact that they hadn't noticed the two people now watching them. Aubrey coughed loudly, glaring at her roommate with the intensity of a thousand suns. Beca jumped and snapped her gaze towards the two women sat across the room from them.  
"Shit!" She yelled, pushing the redhead away and reclining into herself.  
"What's wrong baby?" Chloe's field of vision followed her girlfriends. She saw Stacie, then Aubrey who was still looking hot and flustered. Instantly she dropped her hands from Beca's waist and stepped away.

"Aca-awkward" Was the only utterance that escaped into the room as the four women gawped at one another.


	4. Chapter 4

"Chloe! You said you were going to Beca's!" Aubrey yelled to her embarrassed best friend as she sighed, slightly exasperated because she was about to get laid and now that wasn't going to happen.  
"I-we, I um. Well Beca and I went out for drinks and I thought you were out with Stacie…so we came over here to-"  
Aubrey shushed her best friend with a glare "I don't want to know."  
"Woah Blondie calm down, we stopped, didn't we?" Beca interjected, trying to reason with the older woman.  
Stacie nodded "Yeah 'Bree, I mean, you can't say anything, we were about to-"  
"Okay, I get it!" Aubrey hissed. She pinched the bridge of her nose, breathed out deeply and began with a different approach "We're both here now, so I suppose there's nothing we can do. I think the shock of seeing you two attacking each other's faces has sobered me up as well" She joked with a small grin. The other girls all relaxed as Aubrey's tone became lighter. Beca and Chloe linked their hands and joined the other Bellas in the lounge, sitting on a couch opposite.

"So, how'd the date go?" Asked Chloe, visibly intrigued in the love lives of her group mates. Aubrey shuffled in her seat. "We didn't go." The blonde mumbled.  
"What, why?"  
"Because both me and 'Bree agreed that first dates are awful." Stacie stated with a smirk, playfully punching Aubrey on the arm.  
Beca clasped her hands together "Yes! Oh my god, someone who gets me! First dates are totally the worse" She turned to Chloe and squeezed her hand "…but um, ours was totally…awesome!" The brunette grinned innocently and the redhead just rolled her eyes in reply.  
"You saved yourself a world of hurt there, Mitchell." Aubrey giggled.

After they chatted for a while, Chloe grabbed the empty wine bottle from the table and exclaimed "Truth or dare!" Stacie jumped at the chance and helped the older Bella move the table and set the bottle on the floor. They sat adjacent to one another and gestured for the other two to join them. Beca and Aubrey just looked at each other and shook their heads.  
"Dude, no." Beca whined, rejecting the invitation.  
"I'm with Beca on this one." Aubrey said, giving an appreciative nod to the Dj.

"You guys are so boring!" Chloe cried. She grabbed Beca's leg and pulled her off the couch whilst Stacie did the same with Aubrey. Eventually they both complied with their girlfriends seeing as it was the only way to move forward with the evening, that and the fact that they couldn't really say no.  
"Don't worry babe, you'll love it. I'm good at this game." Stacie whispered in Aubrey's ear, her hot breath causing a tingle to run down the blonde's back and a deep red blush to form on her face. "Okay." Aubrey replied, her voice high pitched and tremulous. She didn't trust Stacie with this game because of her sexual nature but at the same it could possibly be the best game of truth or dare ever. Her thoughts were interrupted when Chloe span the bottle for the first time. It landed on Beca, who winced in despair. "Oh god, why?!" The Dj groaned loudly.

Chloe giggled "Truth or dare, Beca?"  
Beca frowned, her face thoughtful. After a moment, she hesitantly said "Dare."  
The other three girls grinned at one another and broke away to whisper amongst them; Aubrey rejected a lot of ideas and blushed a couple of times, Stacie just smiled in a sexual fashion and Chloe giggled. When they returned, Beca looked grim in anticipation.  
"Beca." Stacie announced, looking around the group. "We dare you to…" She paused for dramatic effect which caused Beca to squirm a little. "…give Aubrey a lap dance whilst looking Chloe dead in the eye"  
Both Aubrey and Beca gawped.  
"Hey! That's not what we agreed on!" The blonde cried out.  
"Yeah, I'm not doing that either." Beca said sternly.  
"Fine. Give Chloe a lap dance whilst looking Aubrey dead in the eye." Stacie suggested, looking intently at the brunette who suddenly seemed a little more willing than before.  
"Okay, that's better I suppose. I'll do it." Beca and Chloe moved to a chair with Aubrey standing behind it. Cautiously, the smaller Bella began grinding against Chloe, teasing her whilst not breaking the eye contact with the blonde stood behind. Aubrey was visibly uncomfortable and soon caved, squealing about how undignified the dare was for Beca, though her words were clearly referring to herself.

"Oh, I'll show you undignified" Stacie stood and gestured for the other two girls to move from the chair. She grabbed Aubrey from the neck of her shirt and dragged her into the seat. "Stace!" Aubrey hissed as the brunette began grinding and flushing her body against the blonde's. Their lips brushed together which instantly quietened any opposition from older woman. Stacie wrapped her legs around Aubrey's waist and sat on her lap. "See? Totally undignified." She lightly bit her bottom lip before moving away, leaving an awe-struck Aubrey sat on the chair, her eyes wide.  
Stacie high fived Beca and Chloe as they sat back down. "Damn, you've got some moves!" The redhead complimented as she gave Beca a suggestive nudge.  
"Yeah, seems like my dare was a little pointless." Beca said with a smirk.  
"I've given a few in my time." Stacie bragged, glancing over to Aubrey who was now sat watching the three converse.  
"I can tell." The blonde interjected breathlessly. She shuffled over to the group and sat back down.

"Round 2!" Chloe announced as she span the bottle again. It landed on Stacie and without a flicker of thought she said "Truth"  
"Aren't you gonna do a dare?" Aubrey pouted mockingly at the brunette whom just raised an eyebrow at the blonde.  
"Gee, I already gave you a lap dance, I think I've pretty much done a dare already!" Stacie exclaimed, playfully scolding the older bella.  
"Fine. Got any ideas guys?" Aubrey asked as she looked over to Beca and Chloe. Beca shrugged but Chloe's eyes lit up with mischief.  
"Stacie, what is sex with Aubrey like?" The redhead grinned to Aubrey whose distraught expression caused everyone to break into a round of laughter. The blonde shook her head "You don't have to answer that babe." She insisted but Stacie just shook her head.  
"I _do_ have to answer it and I will." The brunette took a moment to think, choosing the words carefully.

"Sex with Aubrey, huh? ...Well, it's more than sex. It's love and it's something I had never experienced until I met Aubrey." She was now staring intently into the older woman's deep brown eyes. She continued "The passion I felt warmed my heart unlike any other relation I've had in the past. I think I never realised how much finding the right person would mean to me. Mindless sex is great, sure, but when you love a person it's so much more." She smiled meekly. A tear rolled down Aubrey's cheek as she smiled back at the brunette.  
"I think what I'm trying to say is that I love you Aubrey and I want you to be my official girlfriend."  
Aubrey gasped before she grinned ear to ear. "Oh my god, yes!" She grabbed the sides of Stacie's face and pulled her into a passionate kiss, their lips moulding around one another's in perfectly.  
Chloe clapped excitedly whilst Beca just nodded her head in a 'Good job, bro' sort of fashion. The other couple linked their hands and kissed also just as Stacie and Aubrey broke apart.  
The blonde turned to Beca and shrugged "Hey, maybe this game isn't so bad, huh?"  
Beca smirked but agreed nonetheless "Could be worse" She said, sending a quick wink in Chloe's direction.

Chloe winked in return before yet again grabbing the bottle and announcing "Round 3!"


	5. Chapter 5

The girls never made it to their respective bedrooms that evening. After the 5th round of Truth or Dare, alcohol was introduced and it didn't take long until all of them were boozed up; Stacie and Aubrey more so than they already were. Fortunately, Chloe had managed to drunkenly stumble through the apartment and grab some blankets so that when they finally passed out in the middle of the lounge, it was at least in moderate comfort. Stacie and Aubrey were messily tangled together whilst Chloe and Beca peacefully cuddled – A suitable metaphor for their current relationship status; Stacie and Aubrey were yet to find some sort of order.

* * *

The following morning, Aubrey awoke first, initially confused due to not being in her bed and the fact that Beca and Chloe were led a little too close for comfort. However, Stacie's relative imtimacy wasn't a burden at all and Aubrey smiled softly to herself as she felt the brunette's arms tighten around her waist as she murmured in her sleep.  
The blonde's mind jumped to the evening just passed but everything just seemed a blur; her slight headache and dry mouth confirmed they had been drinking quite heavily, as if the littered bottles weren't enough proof.  
A nauseating thought flickered through her head _'shit, did we have a foursome or something?!'_  
Aubrey's eyes travelled across the room tentatively, trying to pick up any clues as to what exactly happened. Then they fell upon the wine bottle and the blonde let out a relieved sigh. _'Of course not, we played truth or dare and then drank a whole load…' _Aubrey smirked, content with her logic though something was still niggling at the back of her mind.  
_'Jesus Christ, what the fu-'_Her eyes suddenly darted to Stacie, whom was now snuggled even closer to the blonde_._

A warming sensation filled her body and she struggled to contain her squeal as the memory of them becoming official slowly returned. The small high pitched sound caused Beca (who was a light sleeper) to awake with a small jolt.  
"Duuude" The small girl groaned "What the fuck?!" She sounded aggressive and very hung over which caused Aubrey to giggle.  
"Well, good morning to you too!" The blonde replied cheerfully, grinning at the younger Bella.  
"Ugh." Beca rubbed her forehead then yawned. She carefully unattached herself from Chloe before she sat up and then glanced around the unkempt apartment. "Jesus, what happened?"  
Aubrey pointed towards the wine bottle they had used for the game then shrugged in a comical fashion "Go figure." She stated with a smirk.  
Beca half smiled in response but winced as her alcohol induced headache worsened, causing a small grunt to escape her lips.  
"Oh dear, is the poor little alt girl not feeling good?" Aubrey sarcastic tone caused Beca's daggered glare to be directed straight towards the blonde whom just bit her lip in an attempt to not laugh.  
"Sorry, I'll just go get you some water." She mumbled, lightly pulling Stacie away and unsteadily rising from the makeshift bed in order to walk to the kitchen.

In the meantime, Beca used the opportunity to awake Beca and Stacie so they could all be miserable together with their hangovers. Though being the partying type of people they were, the two girls seemed almost perfectly okay, albeit a little sleepy. Chloe wrapped her arms around Beca and lightly kissed her neck "you were so drunk last night baby." The redhead murmured, grinning.  
"You weren't such a great influence Chloe." Stacie interjected with a wink before she turned her attention to her missing girlfriend. "…Where's Aubrey?"  
"Kitchen." Beca mumbled with a vague gesture, becoming too engrossed in kissing her girlfriend to form a legitimate response.

Stacie excused herself from the room to join her own girlfriend in the kitchen. The instant the blonde's back was turned she hurried in and bear hugged her as hard as possible from behind. Aubrey gasped as she was forced into the strong embrace but giggled once she realised from who she was receiving it.  
"Oh my god Stace, you could've been a murderer!"  
"Yeah, a murderer of your vagina." The Brunette responded, chucking to herself.  
"You're so distasteful!"  
"You love it really" Stacie whispered in Aubrey's ear, gently nibbling her ear lobe. "Say, how about we go take a shower?" she suggested, her voice suddenly becoming dark and sexual.  
"Tempting as that is, Chloe and Beca are here and I think don't think want to hear your sensual moans as I give you the best fucking of your life." The older Bella countered teasingly.  
"The best? And you said I was distasteful"  
"That's right, because you are." Aubrey turned to face her girlfriend, she got hoisted onto the counter and she wrapped her legs around Stacie, pulling the brunette towards her and blissfully crashing their lips together. With a slick motion, her tongue entered the other girl's mouth and fought for control as their mouths broke apart before sealing together again. Stacie moaned into Aubrey's mouth and in reply the blonde pushed Stacie away so they were no longer in contact. The brunette let out a desperate gasp as a rush of cold air filled her lung; she glared at Aubrey who just simply smirked in response.  
"See? Like I said, totally repulsive." She winked at Stacie before hopping off the counter and grabbing the glass of water she promised Beca before sauntering out the room.  
"You bitch!" The younger girl yelled, following Aubrey like a lost puppy.

When she returned to the lounge, Beca and Chloe had seemingly disappeared though in the background, the sound of running water was just about audible.  
"Where's red head and alt girl gone?" Stacie questioned, coming to a standstill next to her girlfriend.  
"I'm guessing they heard your idea about taking a shower. They must've gone into Chloe's bathroom." Aubrey replied blankly.  
"Oh, well, what's stopping us? Can't we just go into your bathroom?"  
"Well yes, but –"  
"-But nothing! Come on!" Stacie grabbed Aubrey's hand and dragged her through the apartment, into her bedroom and consequently into the bathroom.  
"The water pressure might be a little low." Aubrey mumbled, trying to find reasons why they shouldn't shower together. In reality she just didn't want to have sex when Chloe might hear them but seeing as Chloe was pre-occupied her mind was a little more at ease. The blonde removed her shirt and underwear whilst Stacie was busy messing with the faucets, finding a suitable temperature.  
"I don't care." Stacie removed her own clothing and without warning pulled Aubrey into the shower, kissing her hard under the torrential downpour and turning her in such a way that the older woman's back hit the wall with a large thud. Aubrey gasped as the cold bathroom tiles pressed into her body whilst the radiating warmth from the water left her in a confused state; warm and sweaty yet tingling with cold.  
"Jesus Christ!" The blonde whispered breathlessly as Stacie's merciless lips travelled around her upper body, nipping and biting at all the pressure points. She ran her hands through the brunette locks and lighted pulled the younger girl upwards, locking their eyes together. "Stace, I think it's time I took control, hm?"

Without a second to answer, Aubrey flipped their positions, shoving Stacie hard against the wall. This caused a moan to be elicited from her mouth as the pleasurably painful sensation jolted through her body.  
The blonde started by gripping each of Stacie's breasts and gently massaging them, nothing too sensational but just enough to make the brunette purr at the touch. Aubrey's mouth approached Stacie's ear where she growled "You're my bitch now, Conrad" before she sank her teeth into the girls pulse point and sucked hard. Stacie shuddered, in taking a sharp breath and whimpering as she felt the deep purple and blue bruise begin to form. "F-fuck." She grunted, not wanting to show how much she enjoyed this rougher sexual approach from the blonde.  
The desperation in Stacie's voice caused Aubrey to grin menacingly. She removed one of her hands from the girls chest and dragged her nails down her arm, stopping at her wrist which she gripped tightly and pinned against the wall all whilst still hungrily trailing kisses down the brunette's jawline; gently biting and teasing much to her girlfriends dismay.  
Aubrey removed her hand from the other breast, letting the warm water replace her touch and instead began to focus on the warmth radiating from Stacie's core. She sunk down the girl's body, her nails leaving red claw marks that not even the balmy downpour could remove the sting from. The blonde stopped at the others immaculate cunt; dripping wet in more ways than one. She teased a little more and planted kisses on Stacie's inner thighs as she parted the girl's legs slowly to avoid any possible accidents.  
Stacie instantly thrusted her hips forward, literally begging to be entered. She hadn't planned on giving it to her so easy, but intensity of the movement suggested that maybe Stacie had been waiting a while, so Aubrey complied happily.  
She started with two fingers, which slowly traced the outside of her folds before delving deep within her slit and began to work up a steady rhythm of thrusting in and out.  
The brunette's hips bucked momentarily as she was filled by her girlfriend's rapid digits; she let out a shuddered breath, biting her lip as she began to rock her hips in time with the motion. Her white knuckled fists were now tangled in the wet mess of Aubrey's hair, pulling at the roots which gave the blonde more incentive to keep going. She shifted a little, and managed to add her tongue into the equation, gently sucking on Stacie's stiffened bundle of nerves before she increased the pace her fingers were leading, subtly curling them as her thrusts got harder.  
Stacie's usually loud name calling and moans were now little more than breathless whimpers as the sensually enhancing humidity, pain and ever more increasing rhythm began to overwhelm her. Aubrey could feel the younger Bella's muscles begin to tighten around her fingers but she was far from finished.  
"Babe, you're gonna hold it in for me okay?" She murmured softly, not breaking away from her work.  
"Au-Aubs, I-I can't…" Stacie stuttered; the girl gritted her teeth, breathing heavily not only to contain herself but to prevent the raining downpour to drown her. Aubrey rose quickly, extracting her fingers slightly so she could reach her girlfriends lips which she kissed quickly before whispering "Yes you can." She then used her free hand to move away the hair which had constructed around Stacie's eyes so she could stare deeply into them as she finished off what she had started. The blonde's digits entered again, thrusting and twisting with intense force and yet again Stacie's walls tightened around her, building up the adrenaline.  
"I…I" The brunette whimpered, her fists clenched tightly in Aubrey's own blonde locks.  
"I'm gonna-"She was cut as Aubrey's lips aggressively pushed against her own, throwing her over the edge and straight into the free fall of her orgasm that rippled without mercy through her body. The older Bella kept their mouths connected; grinding their hips together as she finally removed her fingers and embraced her passionately under the water.  
They rode out the high together but eventually their perfectly private world crumbled around them and now they were just two people stood in Aubrey's plain looking shower.  
"We should probably actually shower now." Stacie suggested with a wink as she regained her naturally bold composure.  
"Yeah…" Aubrey replied breathlessly, nodding in agreement.  
"Can I use your shampoo?"  
"Of course you can, it's on the little shelf thing"  
Stacie grabbed the bottle, opened it and sniffed appreciatively.  
"Mm, strawberries."


	6. Chapter 6

_2 months later_

8 weeks had passed by Stacie and Aubrey. Their relationship was perfectly stable and they everything had clicked into place; they had finally found their order. They felt comfortable as a couple; they even went on double dates with Beca and Chloe, which, even though a little cliché, were some of Aubrey's favourite evenings though she never admitted it. Stacie enjoyed it too and had realised the softer side of relationships where sex didn't wasn't the most important thing.  
The more gentle and loving Stacie was a rare commodity that was only ever shown to Aubrey (though Chloe and Beca had seen it once or twice when the two were cuddling and watching movies) and it was something very precious because the brunette was seemingly a hopeless romantic when she wanted to be.  
As for the Bellas, they made their relationship public within 2 weeks and nobody was surprised really, even Cynthia-rose claimed she "totally called it".  
If that wasn't funny enough, the twosome had managed to build up quite a repertoire of places they had managed to have sex in, much to Aubrey's dismay. Stacie may have been sweet and sensitive behind closed doors, but she was still the same sex loving girl that the older Bella had known and fallen for.  
Although, as weird as Aubrey found the random location sex, her complaints tended to falter and become fewer as they progressed; a new place posed new challenges and risk which was somewhat exciting but mostly terrifying.

* * *

Stacie tottered away from the piano, ecstatically giggling to herself as she made another mental tick off her 'places to have sex' list.  
In between her breaths, she managed to joke with her girlfriend. "Y'know, I'm surprised the piano took us so long Bree'."  
Aubrey simply rolled her eyes as she pulled her jeans back up and finally with a sigh, replied "I was never planning to use the piano. That piano is used by other students and now it's been tainted."  
Stacie smirked to herself "tainted wouldn't be the word I'd use..." She brought herself close to Aubrey, wrapping her arms around the older woman's waist "I'd say that the use for the piano has been appended. As in, we found additional use for it." Her undertone voice tickled Aubrey's neck but the blonde refrained from laughter; there had been enough messing around in this room for one day.  
"You're beginning to sound more like me every day Stace, it's a little worrying. What happened to mrs 'I sexualise everything I say'?" Aubrey joked; placing her hands on top of Stacie's where they rested on her hips as they rocked gently from side to side.  
"I'm still the same as I was a few months ago, but certain characteristics get emphasised around you. Ever considered that?" The brunette backhanded, smiling proudly her intelligent reply.  
"There you go again!" Aubrey exclaimed with a grin. She turned around, repositioning her girlfriend's hands to her back before she continued. "And I did consider that, I think it's sweet that you tone yourself down a little." She lightly pressed their lips together and in the lingering intimacy, as if she was telling a grave secret, whispered "But you always fail at hiding your toner for me." Aubrey grinned.

Stacie's face was a mixture of surprise and delight as they broke apart.  
"Maybe you're starting to sound like me, Hm?" She questioned with a flirtatious wink. Aubrey glared at the young woman, but her feigned offended expression soon broke into a smirk, her stony demeanour too hard to upkeep. "God forbid!" She half yelled her tone almost serious but with a hint of playfulness that softened its meaning.  
With a complete air of fake anger, Stacie pushed Aubrey and marched away, leaning on the piano they so recently 'tainted' whilst passively inspecting her nails. Aubrey pouted "Don't be mad baby." She whined.  
Stacie kept her gaze fixed, trying with all her might to keep up the act.  
"Come on, I'm sorry" The blonde sauntered to the taller Bella, tangling their fingers together. Aubrey was gullible at times and it was always adorable to the brunette; even right now she was trying to hard not to smile at how dejected Aubrey had become from her 'pissed off' routine.  
"Are you really?" Stacie replied sarcastically, not responding to their linked fingers whilst biting her tongue to avoid laughing.  
"Yes, I didn't mean it." The blonde had begun to plead a little, a childish tone evident in her voice and she gave the puppy eyes. Carefully, she nudged her head against Stacie's to avert the gaze of the brunette before grazing their lips together, as if asking for forgiveness. Stacie stole the kiss from Aubrey's lips and broke away, breaking into a brisk walk. "I wasn't even mad!" She yelled, breaking the restrained stiffness of her acting into a bouncy laughter as she had to escape Aubrey's unimpressed glare.

The older woman followed Stacie outside, this time the slight anger was genuine and strained in Aubrey's speech, piercing Stacie like a knife. "Stacie Conrad, that was most certainly not funny! I thought you were genuinely mad at me!"  
Stacie turned on the spot, causing Aubrey to jolt to a stop. She looked down on the shorter Bella and smirked "Chill 'Bree, I was joking." She replied airily in an attempt to lighten the situation.  
"Don't tell me to chill." Aubrey spat back coldly "It's the one habit of yours that I can't stand. You toy with me, why is that?"  
Stacie stared in disbelief "Why are you getting so irrational? I was just having fun."  
Fists clenched and teeth gritted, Aubrey was beginning to get genuinely angry. It wasn't like what Stacie had done was particularly bad, but recent stress was starting to build. She could feel the acidic feeling in her stomach slowly rising, it was minutes before she'd have to stop talking but nevertheless she pushed her point.  
"You're always having fun Stacie! It's not always a good thing!"  
The blonde's hand moved towards to rest on her abdomen, not a grand gesture but Stacie noticed. Aubrey noticed the concerned looked but shook her head. "I'm fine." She grunted, awaiting a response from the brunette.  
"I'm sorry, okay? I don't know when to switch off sometimes and maybe I pushed your buttons too far but I love you 'Bree and I never meant to make you angry, okay?" Though the apology was sincere, it came out harsh and Stacie instantly felt the pang as of guilt as Aubrey doubled over, tears forming in the creases of her eyes. Aubrey's face was contorted, trying to control the painful reflux that told her body to throw up the entire content of her stomach.  
With two strides, Stacie was by her side, rubbing comforting circles on her back and trying to calm the blonde in her moment of need. "Shhh It's okay 'Bree, just breathe…you'll be fine. You won't be sick, I promise." The younger woman cooed, giving Aubrey space as she straightened up a little. Her lips were tight and her eyes scared but nonetheless she seemed calmer than before. She smiled meekly but still looked unable to speak for fear that the vomit was still tempting to upchuck at any moment.  
Stacie gave a hopeful look "See? You're fine." She said with a half-hearted tone, obviously skirting around another apology but it was inevitable, as obvious by the watching eyes.

By now, a large number of people on the quad were looking – After Aubrey's incident at the ICCA's last year; everyone was always waiting to see if she'd blow her lid again. Some watched in horrors; others in anticipation but most in disappointment as they realised she had calmed down. This had turned their attention to the reason why the blonde had almost blown chunks in the first place. The group stared at Stacie; though she was quite known on campus, very few seemed to know about the situation between her and Aubrey. The brunette's apology now had to be worthwhile; they had an audience.

Aubrey regained her standing position and looked among the small crowd that had gotten themselves involved in their drama and whilst she wasn't exactly happy about them; she knew this would stir on Stacie's confident side and make her more likely to apologise profusely.  
"Baby I'm sorry that I'm a fuck up someti- well, all the time. But I feel like your regimented ways is going to change me for good. Yes, I will always have the reputation I have but when I'm with you that reputation doesn't matter because…because I love you and I have you and only you." She looked into Aubrey's glistening eyes, speaking more directly to her than 'performing' to the audience. "I'm sorry I toyed with you." She pulled the older woman into an electrifying kiss, any frustration dissolving away as their lips locked and exchanged passion in a wave of breaths.  
At this notion the watching groups gasped and quickly averted their attentions, now realising what a grave mistake they had made making themselves part of the situation.  
The girls broke apart, both grinning and now at peace. "I forgive you baby." Aubrey whispered before she turned to the people "And next time, don't get involved you dicklicks" She spat which elicited a giggle from her girlfriend. Their hands linked together and they sauntered off to the dormitories where Stacie's room was.

On their walk, Aubrey was being silently suggestive; A little tug of Stacie's shirt collar, winking whenever their eyes crossed paths, even keeping her hands relatively near her crotch.  
"I told you, you're becoming more like me. I can tell what you want and I'm telling you now, No. Once today is enough, and even I'm saying that. We're gonna go cuddle and we can play a board game, I'm sure I've got one somewhere…" Stacie interjected into Aubrey's speechless activity.  
Aubrey pouted "Someone would think we've swapped brains." But she shrugged, seemingly happy with the resolution of cuddling and games.  
"God forbid." Stacie replied and they both laughed.


	7. Chapter 7

Stacie was awoken in the early hours of the morning to the sound of a phone vibrating on her desk. She noticed Aubrey's shadowy figure across from her in the moonlit room, contemplating whether to answer.  
The blonde wasn't meant to have fallen asleep in Stacie's room but the board games and cuddling had lulled her into a peaceful state where she just drifted off; Stacie did the exact same, not even minding the slightly cramped conditions of her bed.  
"Who is it baby?" Stacie's voice croaked into life and travelled across the room, causing a jump from the older Bella who was previously unaware of the conscious brunette.  
In the darkness, it was impossible to tell Aubrey's expression, but from her voice alone Stacie could tell there was something wrong. "It's my dad, there's no reason for him to call at this hour." She replied with confusion twisted in her words, hesitant with her reasoning.  
"Well, pick it up then!" Stacie urged, making a gesture though heart-heartedly as she was reminded that it was nearly impossible for the older woman to see her.  
Staring at the phone for another moment, Aubrey slowly picked it up before snapping it straight to her ear, her voice instantly turning even more formal, which before Stacie thought to be impossible.  
"Hello father, how are yo-…yes, I'm fine. Barden is great actually, I just - …Oh, okay. That's great! How's mom? Tell her I'll talk to her soon. What was it you wanted? It's really la- Wait, what do you mean? Daniel? But he's completely fine, I talked to him yesterday…" Aubrey's was now facing the moonlight and it was very obvious when her eyes widened. She looked pale as she dropped her phone and collapsed on the floor, passed out.

Instantaneously, Stacie was at her side, literally jumping from her bed to aid her girlfriend. She grabbed the phone and began to talk to who she assumed was her father.  
"Hello, ?" The brunette said, unsure of how to appropriately phrase her words. There was a sigh on the other end of the phone and hushed whispers before a voice; presumably 's, spoke.  
"Hello…who is this and why are you with my daughter?"  
"I'm Stacie."  
"Stacie? Right Stacie, why are you with my daughter? I thought her flatmate was named Chloe, you know, the redheaded strange girl who's a little queer looking?"  
The younger woman shook her head at the snide remark, holding back any harsh comments that could ruin any chance she had of getting along with this old man. She stroked Aubrey's hair as she continued the conversation, hoping her girlfriend would arouse soon.  
"No err; I'm just a…friend. She stayed over mine for the night and I was awoken by her phone. Good thing too, she's out cold, poor thing."  
There was an unmistakable snort from her father. "Hmph, always putting on a show. Unlike her brothers…or should I now say brother." There was a pause in the conversation as Stacie was unable to respond, taking in what the man had just said. The brunette didn't know Aubrey's brother but the loss of him affected her deeply for some reason. She simply stared down at the phone, until finally the gentleman snapped causing her jump back to reality with a hiccupped breath.  
"Stacie, are you there?" 's tone was impatient.  
"I err- yes. Yes I am. Sorry, I just…Daniel, that was his name? I'm ever so sorry for your loss, sir"  
sniffed "Thank you. There was nothing neither you nor Aubrey could've done. Daniel was promising, though his character was not very uplifting; never took to the bright side of things. Couldn't really appreciate all I had done for him…" There was a long sigh, as if this stone hearted man had actually cracked for a moment. But within another moment, the emotionless, icy tone had returned "I need to speak with Aubrey."  
"Well you can't." Stacie replied sternly "She's sort of…unconscious."  
seemingly scoffed but his response was more humane than Stacie anticipated "Well, wait until she's awake and get her to call me back. I'm trusting you Miss-"He paused, waiting for the gap to be filled.  
"-Conrad. Stacie Conrad" The brunette iterated.  
"Well, Miss Conrad. Get her to call me back." And with that, the line went dead. Stacie dropped the phone, staring in disbelief that she had just talked to the man that was Aubrey's father, albeit the conversation was a little rushed. She didn't find him particularly pleasant and now she realised why they had never met; he was of very high expectations.

Ignoring the cell phone, Stacie turned her attention to the unconscious woman on her floor. After Stacie stopped stroking the blonde's hair to focus on the conversation, she had stirred a little so she wasn't far from awaking. Stacie was sure that Aubrey might be a little disorientated, so she took the opportunity to turn on the lights and move a pillow beneath the older woman's head.  
After that, she waited. She needed the time to prepare what she would say to once Aubrey was conscious again; having to confirm her brother's death was something that even Stacie felt unconfident about. The tall brunette suddenly felt small, as if the world was about to come crashing down on her and her girlfriend, without mercy at that. She knew Aubrey would take it professionally, but she was still human and couldn't keep all that emotion down.  
The next thing that dawned on Stacie was the high chance of the blonde puking from the shock, so she grabbed the small trashcan she kept by her bed and put it to one side, easily in reach of Aubrey's grasp.

Though it probably took minutes for Aubrey's eyes to flutter open, it felt like a couple hours to the brunette who was secretly dreading seeing her girlfriend's usually intuitive and intelligent eyes degrade into sadness.  
It happened almost immediately, at first the older woman looked alert and almost relieved to be awake but then the recent memories hit her and her expression instantly dropped into a scowl. She turned her head to Stacie, whom was sat with her lips tight.  
"Daniel?" Was the only utterance that escaped Aubrey's lips; though it was more of a word that floated between her breaths, barely audible, even in the deathly silence of the early morning.  
Stacie simply shook her head, embracing Aubrey quickly as the stinging tears began to stream down the blonde's face along with her breathing becoming increasingly erratic. Aubrey sobbed heavily onto the brunette's shoulder which only caused Stacie to grip tighter onto the material of the t-shirt she had lent the other woman. The hiccupped breaths that Aubrey managed to take shook the two violently and in an attempt to calm the grieving woman, Stacie began to rub her hand in a circular motion on Aubrey's back, cooing and shushing until the sobbing was almost silent, though it didn't stop completely. The thing is, when someone cries loudly it is for attention, when it is quiet, it means they can't stop. It was something Stacie knew all too well, so she was more than willing to sit there with Aubrey until she couldn't cry anymore.  
It wasn't something Stacie felt like she was meant to do out of mere kindness, no. It was something that Stacie had to do simply because she loved Aubrey and it was her duty to be there for her.

"It's okay 'Bree, shhh, I'm here, you're fine." Stacie whispered soothingly among other things into the blonde's ear before an uncomfortable silence filled the room, suffocating them both with only the occasionally sharp breath from Aubrey as she failed to recover from her crying gracefully and with her usual high maintenance composure.  
"Aubrey, you've got to talk to me. I know it seems hard, but please…If you can't talk to me, then I don't know if calling your father back will be possible." Stacie stated softly, gripping the older woman by the shoulders and staring intently into her glazed over eyes, lost with grief.  
Aubrey nodded slowly and gulped a large breath. She managed for a moment to stop the crying from her eyes and even possibly look 'okay', but it was all a façade; her face crumpled and she bit her lip as fresh tears trailed down her cheek. She tried talking, but in between her stuttered breath, it came out a little awkward and sore "Stacie" -hiccup "I can't" -hiccup "believe he's" -hiccup "gone" was the only sentence she could utter before falling back onto the brunette whom appropriately wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and simply embraced her.

It seemed that had gotten impatient; Aubrey's cell began to ring, despite instructions for them to call him, not the other way around.  
Stacie reached for the cell but was stopped; instead Aubrey picked it up, her hands trembling. She clicked the answer key and held it to her ear. "Hello…" Her voice her whispery and weak, like she had a cold.  
Aubrey became resigned and stone faced as she talked to her father; like her emotion was a weakness that he disapproved of. "Yes…I-I understand. Okay" were among the monotonous, nearly most regimental responses that Aubrey elicited from her lips. It was clear she wasn't paying attention to the voice on the other side of the line, but instead trying to listen past it; the disappointment in her father's voice. Almost disappointed in the fact that it was her high achieving brother that had passed and maybe, just maybe, he would've preferred her dead instead.  
A few moments later, Aubrey pulled the phone away from her ear and dropped it to the side, the call obviously over. She sat with a blank expression.  
"Aubrey?" Stacie asked, waving her hand slightly in front of the blonde's face.  
No response.  
"Babe?" It was more of a whimper than question.  
Silence.  
Stacie had no choice but to silently pull Aubrey to her feet and get her back into bed, despite how terrified she was at the sudden shut down of her girlfriend. The brunette cuddled up to the older woman, who simply led limply, neither rejecting nor accepting the embrace but just floating in the middle. Though she wished to comfort and console, the will to sleep overcame Stacie and eventually she fell asleep but not before hearing the sound of gentle sobs from the body next to her to which she responded to by wrapping her arms tightly around the blonde; offering the only comfort she could at the time, seeing as talking was out of the question.

Stacie's heavy eyes soon fell, the image of Aubrey's breakdown ransacking her dreams.


	8. Chapter 8

The following morning, Stacie awoke quickly, the harsh sunlight that peaked through her curtains causing her eyes to squint from the glare. She peered around her room which had been miraculously tidied from the previous evening; she even took note of her clothes which were now neatly folded over a chair.

It took a moment of adjustment before Stacie could fully take in the view of the room; she blinked a few times, ridding her eyes of their sleep. At first, the deafening silence tricked the woman into believing her girlfriend was asleep at her side, but when she realised there was nothing weighing down the other side of her bed, she frowned.  
There was no sign of Aubrey at all. Any trace of her was gone apart from a neatly written note on the side, which in her petite, neat handwriting read 'Needed to clear my head xx Aubrey…P.s My cell died, so don't call me'  
Stacie ran her hand through her straggled hair and sighed, reading the letter not once, but twice over. The words so few, told so little and it caught Stacie by surprise, eliciting a wide eyed, concerned expression to flood her tired face. It left to her simple imagination the whereabouts of her girlfriend but after a moment of considerate thought and simply deduction, it was easy to conclude that Aubrey had probably returned to her apartment with Chloe. Any worry immediately subsided at the logical idea and it caused Stacie to smile a little, knowing that Chloe could deal with this better than she could.

Lifting the sheets as she swung her legs out of bed, the brunette grabbed her cell and scrolled through her contacts, expertly pausing the scroll on Chloe's name. She clicked it onto loudspeaker to allow her to get changed as she conversed with the redhead.  
After a few rings, a very sleepy Chloe answered, obviously un-amused at her early waking. "Ugh." The voice groaned before gaining the slight unnatural bounce it usually contained, though there was still an air of tiredness about it. "Hey Stacie, what's up?"  
Stacie paused midway through pulling up her pants and shot a confused look at the phone. "What do you mean?" She questioned. The lack of background noise (notably a certain voice) on the other end of the line caused a disturbingly large amount of nerves to trickle into Stacie's thoughts. She took a deep breath as she waited for a reply.  
"uh,I mean…well…what's up, y'know?" Chloe said, slightly dazed. "Is something wrong?"

Stacie swallowed the lump in her throat, considering whether lying to the co-captain was a good idea or not. "Erm, I don't know actually- Have you seen Aubrey?"  
The brunette could feel Chloe's confusion from the other side of the line and it was only strengthened as her voice was heard "No I haven't, I assumed she stayed with you last night…"  
"Well, she did…but-"Stacie began to explain but was cut off sharply.  
"-What did you do?" Chloe demanded, the loud jump in volume presented that the older Bella was now quite awake and listening intently.  
"Nothing! I promise…. Can you just erm, meet me on the quad in half an hour?! Stacie said quickly, hoping she'd get the chance to explain in person.  
There was a small grumble on the other end of the line, but the response that Chloe omitted was surprisingly cheerful though tentative. "Uh…Sure thing! See you later" The line went dead immediately after.  
Stacie took a moment to thank god that Chloe was around. That bouncy redhead was selfless and never let a person down. If anyone could find the blonde, it was her.

Stacie finished getting dressed. She had ignored her normally low cut shirts and curvaceous, tight pants for a simpler look. She usually loved the attention they grabbed her, but today it wasn't about the looks she got. In fact, any look that she got should be directed at finding Aubrey. She doubted any trouble had arisen, but with the blonde in such a vulnerable state, no moment could be wasted.

* * *

Before meeting Chloe, Stacie had done a quick run around of the campus and called a few other Bellas to ask if they knew. As expected, no one knew anything and they were all very unappreciative of the somewhat rude awakening.

Stacie looked around nervously as she waited for Chloe. The early hours meant few people were walking around though from exchanged glances, it would seem everyone was as unhappy as she was. Stacie checked her phone for any new messages or notifications; any sort of sign about where Aubrey was. She sighed as her inbox read blank and put the cell back into her purse.  
As she redirected her gaze upwards, Chloe had appeared out of nowhere and was within talking distance. Filled with a little bit of repressed annoyance, the redhead started the conversation thick and fast.  
"Why'd you call me here?" She asked, looking up at the gaunt expression of the younger woman.  
"Aubrey's gone." Stacie mumbled.  
"Where?" Chloe moved closer and frowned a little in concern. "…and why?" she added, her bright blue eyes glistening with will to know.

Stacie shuffled in place and awkwardly scratched the back of her neck "Well…it's not my place to tell, but I suppose you deserve to know. Aubrey's brother, Daniel-"  
"Oh I know him! He's nice!" Chloe interrupted with a grin though it quickly fell off her face as she realised the tight expression Stacie wore..  
"Yeah…He um…he committed suicide." The brunette said, the words slow and hesitant to escape. Chloe's jaw dropped and her face crumpled. A desperated gasp escaped her lips but she clamped her mouth and with a gesture, told Stacie to continue as she took in the heart breaking news.  
Stacie pinched the bridge of her nose, withholding the urge to break down "So, yeah…Aubrey was really upset last night. It was scary, she sort of froze up and I had to drag her back into bed. Must've been the shock…but I woke up this morning and she was gone. She left this;" She produced the note from her pocket and handed it to Chloe, who studied it carefully.

The redhead gave an apprehensive look at the writing then glanced upwards to Stacie. Without warning, she hugged the younger Bella tightly and Stacie could feel the slight head shake Chloe gave.  
"She knew that you'd give this to me." The redhead stated softly, breaking away from the confused girl.  
"We had a code phrase that we made up in high school; it was kind of silly really…" Chloe paused for a moment, giggling at the memory though the suspicious expression on Stacie's face was quick to stop the digression and so she continued. "Basically, it means she's gone to her parents. She used the note and by extension, me, as a diversion so she could get there in time…"

Stacie's stomach dropped, the very notion that Aubrey had left on a whim without telling hurt her. Tears stung in her eyes, tempting to fall. Whether out of anger or sadness however, it was unknown to her.  
"So she just left?!" Stacie exclaimed, her voice thick with the kind of empty anger someone feels because they knew they could've done something but they didn't.  
"I'm afraid so…" Chloe answered with a shrug. You could see the sadness behind her gaze too, but it had a sense of understanding. "She runs when things get too intense, kind of like Beca sometimes. She may seem tough and confident, but really she's just striving for her father's approval. The only thing I can recommend is that you put your emotions second and chase after her. She's my best friend and I know her well enough, she needs you."  
Stacie stared hopelessly at Chloe. She gulped down the rising emotion and nodded in agreement. "She needs you too…" She paused momentarily. "Why don't we go, like now?" She suggested, already grabbing her keys from her purse in anticipation.

"What about the Bellas?" Chloe said, not exactly rejecting the idea but still hesitant.  
"Let Beca lead them. We have to go." Stacie commanded, leading away from the quad to the parking lot, Chloe trailing behind as she texted her own girlfriend about the change in plans.

"Do you know the way there?" Stacie asked as Chloe adjusted her seatbelt. The older Bella nodded "Mhm, just follow my lead."  
The twosome set off and soon Barden was a tiny speck in the distance. Chloe expertly directed Stacie across the multiple streets and roads almost effortlessly but that didn't relax the brunette at all. He white knuckled fists gripped the steering wheel tightly, anxious to what would happen in the near future.


	9. Chapter 9

The journey to the Posen's was long and tedious; though this may have just been the anxiety that Stacie felt building in the pit of her stomach. She was surprised to see how Chloe flawlessly remembered the winding roads that led up to the large manor house, which Stacie was now staring at awe in as she carefully drove up the grand driveway.  
The sound of crunching stones beneath the tires slowly came to a stop as the car juddered to a halt. There was a deafening silence as the engine was switch off and then Stacie sat for a moment, nervously anticipating the inevitable entrance she would have to make.  
"Well, here we are…" Chloe mused, her unusually straight faced expression causing Stacie to ponder if the Posen family was really that bad. Though, when she thought about how carelessly Mr Posen has talked about the redhead, it was understandable.

"…Yeah." The brunette responded eventually, removing her seatbelt and stepping out of the vehicle. Outside the protective shell of her car, the building suddenly seemed a lot more daunting. Even in the cheerful daylight, there was an eerie uncomfortable-ness that surrounded the whole place; it sent cold tingles down every one of the girl's extremities and she felt the undermining insignificancy, similar to the evening prior.

Without warning, Chloe was already at the door, knocking on it thrice times in rapid succession. Stacie approached apprehensively, standing next to the older woman without a uttering a word.  
Moments later, from within the walls there was a yell from a voice that was unmistakeably Mr Posen himself.

"I don't care who it is! There are much important matters afoot!" The words resonated loudly; clearly pointing out that their presence was unwanted, no matter whom they were.  
Stacie tensed a little at the cold words but Chloe was otherwise unaffected, she simply waited until the door clicked open and a stern looking gentleman peered out.  
Upon noticing the flash of red hair, he swung the entrance open and gave a sickly sweet smile before opening his arms a little. "Ah, Chloe!" He said, his honeyed tone not sitting quite right as he gingerly accepted an embrace from the ginger before he gestured vaguely at the other women of whom he was unfamiliar. He paused for a moment, his eyes scanning up and down the brunette. "…Stacie?" He questioned, frowning slightly.

Stacie extended her arm and confidently shook the hand of the some-what suspicious father. "Mr Posen." She said acknowledging with a nod of her head. She smiled at the man, who seemed more relaxed than the asshole who she conversed with on the phone.  
"Please, call me Walter." He gave an expression that could arguably be called a smile before a stony expression fell upon his face. This was the face of the man Stacie could imagine in her head; a high up business man with inscrutable motives and just enough time to have a family.  
With the pleasantries out of the way, the real subject that was behind that false smile arose.  
"We weren't expecting you." The man said, each syllable said just sharply enough that it could cause someone faint of heart to turn and run in the other direction. It could be debated that he meant to sound pleasantly surprised, but as it is with people like him, Stacie doubted that.  
Before she could get a word in edge ways, Chloe spoke up and gave an innocent look that could melt even the coldest of souls. "I know Walter, we're so sorry but we were worried about Aubrey after the…" she paused, gulping back a sudden wave of sadness "erm…incident."

Walter's gave drifted to the floor. He sighed, giving an understanding nod. "Yes…We're very much worried about Aubrey too." He choked a little as he tried to maintain his powerful composure "She and Daniel were close…" He took a deep breath, shutting his eyes momentarily before his glazed over eyes flitted between the two women on his door step.  
"Do come in ladies, maybe you can be of some help." He extended his arm into the house, gesturing for them to enter. He adjusted his tie as before shutting the door behind Chloe and Stacie as they moved into his home.  
With a gasp of awe, Stacie was mildly distracted from the grand yet homely design of the intricate furniture. She spun a little on her feet, taking in the view as she mindlessly followed Chloe and Walter through the hall. She traced the wood carvings on the door frame as they entered into a lounge area, of which the brunette was immediately enticed by.

Her awe was short lived, as she was no more than half way from glancing fully around the room when she noticed a very dishevelled and tired Aubrey huddled in a chair in the corner of the room, her puffy and red eyes locked in an unbroken gaze. She was completely cut off, her knees brought up to her chin and her jaw tensed shut.  
Stacie's expression dropped to exasperation and she immediately forgot all about the strict man no more than 2 metres away. She moved quickly to her girlfriend's side, tapping her lightly on the shoulder to grasp the blonde's attention. Though the turn of Aubrey's head was slow, once she registered the face In front of her, she blinked a few times and the corners of her lips twitched upwards; it wasn't a smile, it was far too sad but it was hopeful and hopeful was good enough.  
"Hey, I was worried about you 'Bree." Stacie whispered softly, lightly nuzzling into Aubrey's hair and planting the gentlest of kisses on the woman's cheek.  
Aubrey's mouth opened as if to speak aloud, but the voice that escaped was childlike and scared. "I didn't know what to do…He's gone." The older woman swallowed the lump in her throat and her eyes met with her Father's glare then at Chloe wide eyed 'Oh god' expression. Stacie turned her head also, reality punching her square in the jaw. The brunette instantly retracted from her seated position to stand more formally, coughing to fill the awkward silence that followed.

Mr Posen looked suspiciously at them and was seemingly about to make an accusation but Chloe's spotlight grabbing voice took centre stage, effectively cutting off the older man.  
"Aubrey, you should've called us! I- I mean Stacie- I mean WE were worried about you." The redhead was now knelt on the floor beside the couch where she could meet Aubrey's level. "Don't scare us like that again." She reprimanded gently, cupping her best friend's and sighing.  
"Sorry." Aubrey mumbled dejectedly in reply.  
"No no, don't be" Stacie murmured, taking over the conversation with an approving nod from the redhead. She rubbed comforting circles on Aubrey's back with her thumb, shrouding as much love she could without the fazed father across the room becoming furthermore suspicious.

It was no longer necessary however. Uncomfortable by the large amount of feminine affection, Walter simply cleared his throat and announced "It seems Aubrey Is in good hands. I'll leave you girls to it." He nodded at both Stacie and Chloe before marching out of the room, a little quicker than someone of his authority should do.

When he was out of earshot, Stacie peered round Aubrey "Geez, what's wrong with him?" She asked jokingly to Chloe.  
"He's not very hands-on when it comes to affection…" She whispered, looking quickly towards Aubrey.  
The blonde sighed, shuffling a little. She relaxed her legs, letting them move out in front to dangle off the couch, her feet softly hitting the plush carpet. After what seemed like forever, she finally felt ready to take part in conversation.  
"He's not 'hands-on' with anything really, Chloe. Except telling me how much of a disappointment I am." She said coldly, her sore voice cracking. Aubrey rubbed her dark, heavy eyes, giving a melancholic smile. "That's me, disappointment" She iterated with a downwards glance.  
"If I had died instead of Daniel everyone would be hap-"  
"Aubrey don't you dare say that!" Stacie snapped, exasperated. She brought her hand to the older woman's cheek and redirected her view so their eyes met. She gazed longingly into them, but the emotion wasn't reflected back; there was just darkness where a small glint of hope used to be.  
"Listen here, Posen." The brunette said with authority, causing both Chloe and Aubrey to gape a little at her sudden change in demeanour. "You are the most amazing person I've ever met. Hell, you're the first woman I've fallen for and that means something to me. You are talented and clever and so many things I'm not. You complete me, okay?" A heavy breath escaped Stacie's mouth before she continued with her tone slightly less assertive. "You're just mourning the death of your brother and I want to help you through this…Please don't let your dad get in the way of that."

For the first time since yesterday, Aubrey smiled. A genuine smile filled with sincerity and awe at the kind words she had just been exposed to. Sure, she still felt awfully numb about her brother but Stacie's hard hitting message was softening the blow.  
A single tear rolled down her cheek which was promptly wiped away by the younger bella, whose face lit up as she saw the life seep back into the blonde. Stacie cupped the older woman's face, their eyes intensely boring into one another; the serenity of the moment was almost overwhelming.  
Aubrey momentarily forgot all her troubles as their lips touched together, moulding effortlessly around one another in a slick motion. The kiss wasn't lustful or sexy; it was sincere and honest. It was the kind of affection that could've moved a mountain If it wanted to. They broke as air became necessary and when they did, something clicked in Aubrey's head.  
Her next words were impulsive, but completely true.  
"I love you." She said the words not above a whisper. Stacie grinned.  
"I love you too 'Bree." She choked, wrapping her arms around the blonde's neck.  
Chloe smiled and "aww"-ed at the couple, delighted at the positive turnaround of events; cliché endings were among her favourite things.

There was a sudden cough from the doorway. Aubrey turned her head sharply to see the almost appalled faces of her parents glaring back at her.  
Walter stepped forward, leaning menacingly towards the couple.  
"Aubrey." He said his voice soft but deadly. Each syllable twisted and gritted between his teeth. It was clear he already had Aubrey's attention and that the mention of her name only meant one thing.  
He stepped closer again.  
"What is this?"


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Final chapter everyone! I just wanted to say, it's been a pleasure writing this :) I hope you enjoy x**

* * *

Aubrey shuffled under the scrutiny of her father's un-approving glare as she nervously glanced towards Stacie. Aubrey's so far un-introduced mother had made a hasty exit; realising that this conversation wasn't going to end well, which only caused the blonde more discomfort.  
It was a trap surely? Deny everything and have him get angry at her lies or tell the truth and get rejected; there was no way out.  
She opened her mouth but the words didn't take form, instead her father's looming figure with his arms outstretched in frustration yelled "Christ Aubrey! So not only little redhead here's-" His head pointed to Chloe as his nose wrinkled with disgust "- queer, but you too?"  
Before Aubrey even had a chance to respond, Chloe had jumped to her feet in an attempt to diffuse whatever the fury-blinded man was doing. "With all due respect Mr Posen, there's a lot wors-"  
"-Shut it, you little bitch. Your personality has been nothing but a bad influence on my daughter!" He spat out coldly, causing Chloe to go tight lipped and stand in helplessly in the middle of the room.  
Stacie squeezed Aubrey's hand before rising from the couch. She comfortingly put her hand on Chloe's shoulder and gave a hopeful look to the redhead before facing Walter herself.

She took a deep breath, holding back any anger that had begun to boil in her blood. It burnt the back of her throat and teased with the prospect of letting out a stream of tears. Though tight, her voice was surprisingly calm and clear. "Mr Posen, you're upset and I appreciate that, but the relationship between Aubrey and I isn't important right now. You should be focusing on what is important – Daniel."

The man cocked his eyebrow and shook his head bitterly. He let out a dry laugh that only infuriated Stacie further. "Daniel is important, very true…More so now than before."  
Aubrey gave a confused scowl which behind it was a clearly pained expression. She stood slowly and shakily, taking a few steps towards her father in a tentative fashion.  
"What do you mean?" Her whimpered words were of desperation because she already knew he meant but had never actually said aloud; now was his chance.  
"He was better than you." He replied plainly, seemingly unaffected at how his daughter's face crumbled as the words rolled off his tongue.  
Aubrey had turned ever paler, her sunken eyes glazing over as there was a sudden build-up of bile in her body. Unable to form a coherent response other than to throw up, she frantically opened a door which led to the backyard decking and emptied the contents of her stomach, falling powerlessly to her knees. The acidic sting made her cough and cry uncontrollably but Chloe was at her side instantly to soothe the ache, leaving Stacie to deal with Walter.

In between the splutters from his daughter (which admittedly, he did look guilty about for a moment), he had the nerve to speak up. "If at first you don't succeed, pack your bags…Isn't that what I've always said? Well, you've already packed your bags Aubrey, so what now?"  
Stacie couldn't stand the torments anymore and considered the options she had; kick the shit out of him or bring him off his throne with an onslaught of words. She chose the latter; it would make for an easier clean up.

"Okay, look here you arrogant dicklick." Stacie hissed. She put one hand on her hip, the other pointed sharply at Mr Posen, whose bemused expression merely led her on. "I don't know who you think you are. But no one and I mean _no one_ has the right to talk to my girlfriend that way. She's your daughter, have a little respect! She's lost her brother and now you're implying that he should be here and not her? That's fucked up." Stacie grunted a little, and with a cross of her arms continued, much to Mr Posen's displeasure.  
"She came here to be consoled, not be ripped apart because of her sexual preferences. And maybe Chloe is an influence on her, but really, is that such a bad thing? Years of your bullshit probably messed her up so much that she needed some freedom! So how about you back off and be nice for once?!" Stacie was now breathing heavily, her tightly fisted hands heavy at her side but not once did she break the death glare she held upon the old man.

Walter stood, stunned from the words that had escaped the fiery brunette. No one talked to him like that.  
He was angry but terrified at the same time and from the nervous adjustment of his tie that he did out of habit, it was showing.  
He swallowed the lump forming in his throat. His authority was crumbling by the minute and he now stood sheepishly, a shadow of the confident dictator he was mere moments ago. After a small silence, he turned his head to Aubrey. Chloe had cleaned her up and now had her arms comfortingly around the blonde's shoulders, though they retracted abruptly as his gaze fell upon them.

"Aubrey, I need to talk to you." He said tightly, glancing around the room. "…alone." He added, causing Stacie to roll her eyes and let out an esteemed sigh. Chloe, on the other hand, was more than happy to escape the painstakingly awkward situation. She picked herself up along with Aubrey and then grabbed Stacie's arm to leave the room. On her last whim, Stacie meekly whispered "Please don't hurt her."

Xxx

Alone.  
That was the only word that ran through Aubrey's mind. She was alone in a room with her father. It had been years since they had had such privacy and it was at the one time she didn't want it. She stood tight lipped as her father paced back and forth a few times. He was planning the words so they came out equally relieving and devastating; or well, that's what she thought.  
He had treated his children like they were soldiers; they weren't raised, they were trained. Failure was never an option in his eyes and Aubrey had been on thin ice from the start.

Time passed slowly and it only caused strangling tension to become even worse. Mr Posen pinched the bridge of his nose, opening his mouth to speak at last but before he could, Aubrey attempted to interject.  
"Dad, I'm so sorry, I didn-"  
"-No Aubrey, stop." He said flatly, regaining control. He motioned for Aubrey to approach. Hesitantly, she did so and was surprised when she found her Father's hands on her shoulders; a gesture limited to rare occasions due to his lack of will to express affection.  
He breathed out slowly, his eyes boring into the lost ones of his daughter; there was an innocence there that took him back to the girl's childhood – The one she didn't have. The summers spent doing strenuous 'character building' and snowy winters spent studying. He didn't feel regret for how he had brought up his children, but he suddenly realised that no matter how much he tried to put her on the straight and narrow path, she will always be her own person.  
Stacie had helped him realise this too, though he would be quick to deny it.  
He yet again swallowed the lump in his throat, finally discovering the words that expressed what the blind anger couldn't. It was the one sentence Aubrey had been waiting to hear all her life.  
"I'm proud of you."

He pulled the blonde into an awkward hug, tightening his grip as he felt the soft patter of tears hitting his suit jacket.  
"Th-thank you." Aubrey mumbled, the choked words struggling to be heard, even though her sobs were almost silent. They stood there for a while, the uncomfortable hug slowly becoming warmer as they both relaxed. Once it was suitable, Walter pushed his daughter back slightly, so they stood as they did before, his hands relaxed on her shoulders. Aubrey's eyes dazzled with a new life, completely overwhelmed by the abrupt change of heart.

"So, your friend Stacie…"  
"Girlfriend." Aubrey corrected quietly, still dazed.  
"Sorry, your _girlfriend_ Stacie…You think she's the one?" In a moment of pure sincerity, her father's voice sounded caring and open. Aubrey simply looked deep into her father's eyes and nodded. He let out an agreeable grunt. "Okay. I think I can take that." His serious expression broke a little, revealing a smile underneath. "I'm sure I can. She's a fine woman, got a bit of an edge, I like that."  
Aubrey grinned, smirking at her Father's dangerously casual approach though she dared not to question it; whatever had happened in his head to make him change his mind was a blessing among other things and to ask why would only take away its magic.  
She broke away from his grip, strolling towards the door to allow her friends back into the room.  
Her hand gripped the door handle.  
"Oh, and Aubrey-" Her hand dropped as she turned again to face the man.  
"I'm sorry." Her father said a genuine look of guilt and regret shrouded his face. He didn't specify for, he didn't need to. Aubrey simply nodded and replied "It's okay." Before turning back to the door and opening it.

Stacie's nervous disposition instantly reversed as she saw the flicker of blond hair. She wrapped her arms around Aubrey's neck, refusing to let go.  
Chloe smiled, letting the couple enjoy their moment as she joined Mr Posen from across the room. She nudged him slightly and in an undertone said "They're perfect for each other…"  
He watched in amazement as he saw Aubrey's face light up at the sound and feel of her girlfriend. It made him feel warm and he couldn't help but smile. It was still weird, but his daughter's happiness was more important than his personal pride. He shut his eyes and gave a wise smile "I know."

He approached the young couple, clearing his throat a little to catch their misguided attention. Stacie smiled respectively, slipping her arm around Aubrey's waist, finally feeling free enough to flaunt their status.  
Mr Posen held out his hand, gripping the brunette's in a firm handshake. He locked eyes with her, returning the look of respect with a new found sense of family.  
"Stacie." He said.  
"Welcome to the family."


End file.
